Closing arguments to begin in pension board hearing

Closing arguments are scheduled to begin tomorrow in the preliminary hearing in the state's corruption case against six former trustees of San Diego's pension board. The six are accused of breaking conflict-of-interest laws. KPBS Reporter Amita Sharma has more.

The six trustees are accused of giving the city a pass on putting enough money into the city's pension system in 2002. In exchange, the trustees stood to receive thousands more in their future retirement checks.

At the end of closing arguments, Judge Frederic Link will decide whether to let the case go to trial or rule that that no crime was committed. Given last week's federal indictments against three of the trustees in the state case, former D-A Paul Pfingst says Link's decision has broad implications.

Link: "Not only on the civil cases in the California courts, but also it's going to have some impact on the thinking of a judge in the federal prosecution as well because the federal prosecution is very much like the state prosecution."

The defense put on evidence in the case, a rarity according to Pfingst, who says the defendants want to show the judge what they did was legal. Amita Sharma, KPBS News.